


Let It Pass

by aeriamamaduck



Series: TES/DA Series [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Crossover, Daddy Issues, Dating, F/M, In case no one noticed., Martin has issues., Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Past Drug Use, Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-01
Updated: 2016-08-01
Packaged: 2018-07-28 15:15:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7646242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aeriamamaduck/pseuds/aeriamamaduck
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Martin discusses the more unsavory aspects of his past with Minerva.</p><p>Modern AU TES/DA crossover where the Champions of Cyrodiil and Kirkwall grow up together and face the perils of their late-20's and law school.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let It Pass

**Author's Note:**

> Now while no one from my DA canon shows up in this particular piece, they are a part of the story. Garrett is probably racking his brains somewhere trying to figure out a way to approach handsome singer Fenris at the restaurant he and Minerva hang out at. For now, Martin and Minerva are at the helm.

Minerva came awake slowly, yawning and rubbing at her eyes tiredly as the sound of the evening news dragged her out of sleep. A hot flush rose to her cheeks when she realized she had fallen asleep leaning against Martin, his arm loosely wrapped around her as her head settled on his shoulder.

They were in his apartment, having eaten dinner there after an afternoon of walking the streets of Denerim and taking in the sights. The apartment itself looked nearly utilitarian for all the time Martin seemed to spend in it, but the couch _was_ rather comfortable. Hell, Minerva was tempted to curl up in it and fall asleep again.

She drew herself away from him sheepishly and gave herself a good stretch. “I’m sorry. I guess I was sleepier than I thought.”

He grinned at her and lowered the volume on the weather report. “Welcome back. I didn’t want to disturb you, you looked so peaceful.”

Minerva smiled and looked at her knees, reaching a hand up to attempt to fix her hair. At least she hadn’t drooled on him. “God, it’s still embarrassing. Hopefully I didn’t snore. _Did_ I snore?”

“You were only out for about six minutes.”

“Oh. Good.” She leaned over to kiss his cheek and settled back on the couch, her hand seeking his and squeezing it gently. Her heart was racing at the thought of his arm around her, and she tried to remember if he had done anything like drawing his fingers over her skin. She blushed again at the thought and let her eyes roam while the anchor went on about a corrupt police captain in Cheydinhal.

The walls were bare save for a few framed photographs. Three caught Minerva’s attention; an older photo of a woman with brown hair on what appeared to be a ferry, beaming at the camera. The other was of that same woman nuzzling a blue-eyed toddler who was reaching towards a camera. The last one was of Martin and a much older man, likely from a few years before judging by how old Martin looked. Curious she asked, “Are those of your mom and dad? You have his smile.”

Martin looked up towards the frames, a faraway yet fond look in his eyes. “Yeah. Varinia and Lucius Jones. He was formerly an agriculture professor at LU, and now he’s happily retired.”

Minerva got up and examined both men’s faces. Lucius was smiling broadly, his brown eyes bright as he looked right at the camera. The younger Martin looked a little subdued, though he still had that same smile as his father. “So is Septim your mom’s last name?”

She heard Martin sigh and looked up to see that his smile had disappeared, melancholy taking its place. “No. It’s…my father’s. My birth father’s.”

Minerva stared at him, then back at the two men in the photograph, shocked into silence. “You’re adopted,” she stated softly.

“Yes,” he replied with a frown, eyes narrowing as some deep-set anger surfaced in his eyes as he muted the television. “You know I usually have to tell people I have no relation to Uriel Septim, the head of Empire Industries, but that’s a goddamn lie. I _am_ his son.”

He said it with such venom it nearly frightened her. She’d never heard hate expressed in so few words, and never expected it from Martin Septim, of all people. “Wow. I-I never would’ve guessed…” She returned to the couch edged closer to him, relieved that he let her take his hand in both of hers and even curled his fingers around hers. “You don’t sound like you especially like the guy. Why take his last name?”

His smile was bitter. “I wasn’t the most intelligent eighteen-year-old in the world. I was angry at my dad for lying to me. Angry at Uriel for…for what he did.” He closed his eyes, brow still knotted tightly as he remembered. “My birth mother worked security in his offices. His wife had just died and…he decided to have an affair to get over it, I suppose,” he explained with a shrug. “She got pregnant and old Uriel wasn’t too pleased. He had a reputation to uphold as the mourning widower. By the time he found out, it was too late to do anything about it.

“When I was born he came to the hospital and told my mother in no uncertain terms that I’d be placed for adoption, or else he’d do what he could to make sure she never found a job again and I’d never see a cent of his money.”

She drew in a sharp breath, shocked at how anyone could be so heartless. “My God, Martin…”

He went on, rubbing his forehead with his fingers. “She was scared enough that she gave me up. Closed adoption, all of it neat and tidy. She transferred to another company and moved out of state.”

“…Did you ever see her again?”

He nodded slowly, staring at his hands. “I have her set up in a nursing home near KU. She had a stroke a few years ago, so she needs some care. I go visit every week. My adoptive mother died of cancer when I was two.”

Minerva glanced once again at the photo of the woman with the toddler, her heart breaking. Martin continued quietly, “Dad raised me and I was as happy as a kid could be. Then one day before I turned eighteen, Uriel Septim himself shows up at the door. He had a fit of remorse over what he did, and decided to recognize me as his son. Suddenly I have three half-brothers nowhere near my age and I had a mother still alive somewhere. A paternity test took away any doubt, and it all came out.”

“Oh, Martin…”

He got up and paced, talking with shaky breaths, “…I was stupid. I decided the best way to get back at Uriel was to change my name as soon as I could. I wanted…to throw it all back in his face so he could see what he did to me. I came home with the paperwork and Dad just…” He stopped and sighed raggedly. “He didn’t say anything, he just nodded and accepted it. God knows what pain I made him go through, all so I could get back at a selfish old man who wasn’t even worth it in the end. I did some stupid shit for years. Wasted my college years doing drugs, drinking, having sex with as many people as possible.”

Her eyes widened at the admission. “No way.”

“I’m not as squeaky clean as I’ve claimed to be,” he muttered ruefully. “It lasted a while. I was…twenty-three and getting through grad school just by a hair. A bunch of us went out, got stupidly drunk, and got in a car…I was in the backseat and still had enough brain cells in me to use my seat belt. Broke my leg, my arm, and three ribs, but I was the only one who came out of it alive.”

Minerva’s breath caught in her throat at the thought of him going through such a horror. He sat back down beside her and continued, “I woke up in the hospital and saw my dad praying the rosary and…and crying. He saw me and he just looked so happy. It finally hit me that I’d been hurting him for years and if I could’ve gotten on my knees to beg for his forgiveness I would have. Of course Uriel had been keeping tabs on me, so he came to visit. I told him to leave. Surprisingly he listened. After that I went sober and…got to this point. I thought about changing my name back, but…I figured it would remind me of how far I’d fallen.”

She nodded, accepting the explanation even if she didn’t fully understand it. “How did you get in contact with your birth mother?”

“Uriel tracked her down for me after I found out about everything. I sent her a letter with a photo because I thought a phone call would be too abrupt. She replied but it was…rather perfunctory.” His gaze was still trained on the wall of photos, and Minerva guessed he was picturing at least one other person’s image up there. “After the accident I got her address and went to see her. She was widowed, never had children. Her apartment was just a place for her to sleep in. Otherwise she was happy to see me and glad to meet Dad. She…regretted giving me up and not knowing what rights she had back then, but I forgave her. It was easier than forgiving myself. I don’t know if I have yet.”

Minerva’s eyes burned with sympathetic tears. She stroked his arm with both hands and placed another kiss, soft and lingering, on his temple. “You were a kid who made stupid decisions. That doesn’t change the kind of man you are now. It doesn’t change how I feel. Okay?…Is all this why you were so distant at first?”

Martin chuckled softly and smirked at her, his eyes still holding sadness within them. “Basically. You are a far better person than I was back then.”

She drew his face closer to hers and kissed his lips, her hand winding to the back of his neck and up to his soft hair. When they parted he stared at her as though entranced. She told him in soft tones, “And you’re a better man now. I’m glad you told me this.”

He replied in a hoarse voice, “I was sure it’d send you running out the door…After you called me all sorts of insulting names, which I know I’d deserve.”

She couldn’t help smiling. “Well I’m not running out the door. In fact I’m still sitting on this sinfully comfortable couch with the man I love.”

Her heart raced at her admission, but it was worth seeing the wonderful light in Martin’s eyes.


End file.
